Hold Me
by Lone Wulffe
Summary: Songfic based on Kingdom Hearts' "Simple and Clean" by Utada Hikaru. Part One of "Three Steps". ReiShinji


DISCLAIMER: I don't own Evangelion. If I did, I wouldn't be writing this fic (it would be real ), Rei and Shinji would have gotten together and I'd be filthy rich. I wish I did though. sigh Oh yeah, the key...  
  
"Talking"  
  
[Thinking]  
  
'Emphasis'  
  
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The Angel drew its lips apart, revealing what passed for a sadistic smile as its core lit up, a tell-tale sign of its self-destructive intent. In the second before the explosion, Shinji Ikari, the designated pilot of the Evangelion Unit-01, watched in horror as the familiar form of Unit-00 stepped into view and threw its A.T. Field around them, successfully protecting him from grievious harm and taking the worst of the blast for itself.  
  
"AYANAMI!!!" he screamed into the comm. link as he tried to make contact with the pilot of Unit-00. However the shockwave of the explosion flung his unit back into a hillside with surprising force, jarring its pilot senseless. [Ayanami...] was all he could think before he fell into a dreamless sleep.  
  
When you walk away  
  
You don't hear me say please  
  
Oh baby don't go  
  
Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight  
  
It's hard to let it go  
  
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"What do you mean, you can't find them?!?! They're a pair of walking building-sized robots, for God's sake!!!" a lavender-haired woman known as Misato Katsuragi practically screamed at the bridge crew. "I'm sorry sir, but the blast and the shockwave have knocked out all our nearby sensors and disabled some a good distance away. There's nothing much we can do but wait," was all Makoto Hyuuga could say in his attempt to calm his distressed superior. The said woman fell silent and proceeded to bite her nails in frustration. [Shinji-kun, Rei, just hang on. I'll find you two yet.]  
  
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Shinji groaned as he sat up in his entry-plug chair, clutching his throbbing forehead. Memories of the battle immediately flooded his mind. [Ayanami!!!] He scrambled out and proceeded to run in the direction of where Unit-00 lay.  
  
You're giving me too many things  
  
Lately you're all I need  
  
You smiled at me and said,  
  
Reminiscent of the battle with the Fifth Angel, the boy forced the entry-plug door open and scrambled in. The sight of Rei Ayanami, the First Children, unconcious but very much alive comforted him slightly. Carefully he carried her out and laid her on the ground. Cradling her with his left arm, he continuosly patted the girl's left cheek softly in an attmept to wake her.  
  
"Ayanami, wake up. Wake up, 'please'. Come 'on'..." he muttered, his voice desperate as he feared the worst. Slowly the girl stirred, a soft moan escaping her lips. At this, Shinji gave an inaudible sigh of relief. Her eyelids fluttered open, revealing a pair of crimson orbs.  
  
"I...Ikari-kun?" she mumbled groggily as she fought to fully regain her hold on reality. Her left hand went to her head as if to hold in the giddiness that flooded through her senses, unintentionally brushing the boy pilot's hand that was still resting on her cheek. The pressure from her hand was still noticeable through the thickness of their plug-suits. This only served to make Shinji realize the position that he was holding her and the distance (relatively short if you must know) between her face and his. He blushed a rather deep shade of red, luckily unnoticed by his female companion.  
  
Don't get me wrong I love you  
  
But does that mean I have to meet your father?  
  
When we are older you'll understand  
  
What I meant when I said "No,  
  
I don't think life is quite that simple"  
  
"C-Can you stand?" he stuttered out, helping her to her feet and supporting her at the same time. She nodded slightly in response, wincing as she sought to conceal her pain. Together they moved away from the fallen giants until they found a clearing that wasn't damaged. Shinji then eased Rei down into a sitting position on the grass before getting up again.  
  
"I'll go see if there's anything useful we can get from our entry-plugs. You just sit right there and wait for me," he said, giving his companion a reassuring smile before turning around and heading back. Rei sat there, watching his retreating back, her face not betraying her inner thoughts. [I...I do not want him to leave me. I desire his presence. What is this feeling? Is it...worry?] Her soul was in turmoil, her mind caught in a whirlwind of unknown emotions while her body showed no signs of the conflict within.  
  
When you walk away  
  
You don't hear me say please  
  
Oh baby don't go  
  
Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight  
  
It's hard to let it go  
  
Presently, the Third Children returned with a few emergency supplies. With some help from Rei, Shinji managed to start a fire. Satisfied, he sat down near her to watch the flames. Soon enough both pilots were lost in their own world, although their thoughts weren't as different as they expected.  
  
[Why do I live? Why do I pilot the Eva? For the Commander/Father? What is this emotion? What do I feel...for him/her?] These were some of the thoughts that plagued the two teens. While these questions were normal for the blue-eyed boy, they were relatively new to his cerise-eyed companion.  
  
The daily things that keep us all busy  
  
Are confusing me  
  
That's when you came to me and said,  
  
"A-Ayanami," he said, stumbling on his words and breaking the silence. "Yes, Ikari-kun?" she replied, directing her unfaltering gaze towards him. "I...I...I..." [For God's sake, just 'say' it!] [Why is he so nervous?] "I...I would like you to call me Shinji." [Coward. Not even enough guts to tell her how you feel about her. You've nearly lost her so many times, how long are you going to wait before you actually admit it in the open?] he silently cursed himself.  
  
The boy watched as the girl contemplated his question before answering. "Very well, Ika-Shinji-kun." "And you may address me as Rei if you wish," she added, almost like an afterthought. "Oh, o-okay then...Rei," he nervously replied.  
  
Wish I could prove I love you  
  
But does that mean I have to walk on water?  
  
When we are older you'll understand  
  
It's enough when I say so  
  
And maybe some things are that simple  
  
A blanket of silence fell upon the area once again as both Children lost themselves in their thoughts yet again, Shinji's being self-degrading and Rei's being self-questioning. Shinji's expression darkened with every passing thought and every lingering memory that mocked and taunted him. "I hate myself. I hate this world, he muttered out unconciously. These words drew the blue-haired girl out of her thoughts as she glanced worriedly at the boy who sat not two feet away from her.  
  
When you walk away  
  
You don't hear me say please  
  
Oh baby don't go  
  
Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight  
  
It's hard to let it go  
  
The pilot of Unit-01 found his train of thought unceremoniously derailed when he felt a soft pressure against his left arm. He turned his head only to find a certain crimson-eyed female leaning against (or rather snuggling up to) him. Needless to say, his face was taking the same hue of red as her eyes. "Ah...Rei?" "I felt cold," she said, which was a half-truth, but she wasn't about to admit it. A tinge of pink coloured her cheeks as she realized fully what she had just done. "Oh, I see." The boy's previously tensed-up body began to relax.  
  
Unconciously his left arm left his side and encircled her around her shoulders, ultimately drawing her closer to him. This action, although causing both teens to visibly redden in the face, was not undone due to the fact that neither was complaining and both felt fully comfortable.  
  
Hold me  
  
What ever lies beyond this morning  
  
Is a little later on  
  
Regardless of warnings the future doesn't scare me at all  
  
Nothing's like before  
  
Soon Rei was no longer able to fight off her drowsiness and promptly fell asleep. Seeing this Shinji smiled and gently laid her down and moved about a three feet away from her before lying down to sleep lest he do something...'inappropriate'. Sure enough he too drifted off to sleep although his dreams were far from peaceful.  
  
"No, Rei...Please don't die...Don't leave me, Rei...I need you..." These words awoke the First Children from her slumber. She sat up as she stared at the now physically-active boy. [He is dreaming...about me?] were her thoughts as he began to chant his classic line: "I musn't run away."  
  
When you walk away  
  
You don't hear me say please  
  
Oh baby don't go  
  
Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight  
  
It's hard to let it go  
  
At this memories of Shinji holding herduring the Third Angel's attack came to her mind. She recalled the feeling of comfort that she had felt while in his arms. Without thinking twice, she scooted over to his side and tentatively held him from behind, drawing him close. Almost immediately the boy calmed down and slipped into a more pleasant state of slumber. Satisfied with her handiwork, the girl closed her eyes in preparation to go back to sleep.  
  
Hold me  
  
Whatever lies beyond this morning  
  
Is a little later on  
  
Regardless of warnings the future doesn't scare me at all  
  
Nothing's like before  
  
Suddenly the girl felt something warm fall on the side of her waist. She snapped her eyes open to discover two things. One, Shinji had turned towards her and it was his arm that was lying on her waist. Two, his face was VERY close to hers.  
  
The analytical side of her mind described the distance as "less than two inches". The other part of her mind described it as "within kissing distance". She blushed, her cheeks turning a rosy pink before she discarded those thoughts and forced herslef to sleep. Unattended the fire slowly died out, although it didn't matter as its warmth was no longer necessary due to the fact that the two teens now had one another.  
  
Hold me  
  
Whatever lies beyond this morning  
  
Is a little later on  
  
Regardless of warnings the future doesn't scare me at all  
  
Nothing's like before  
  
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Alright, that's it for now. FYI, the 'walk away' part of the song sometimes refers to them running away mentally. This is my first fic, so please be merciful. R&R please! Oh yeah, I'll do a sequel if someone asks for it. Ja ne! 


End file.
